


Yellow Nuzlocke

by Vaporwavecat1994



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22306612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaporwavecat1994/pseuds/Vaporwavecat1994





	Yellow Nuzlocke

It was a quiet morning in Pallet Town. Spring had recently begun to find itself in the open countryside, with seasonal  
flowers slowly coming into bloom as the days were welcomed with warmer temperatures. A calm but comforting breeze made its way through the town, foreshadowing the winds of change that were to come for two of the younger residents who lived there.

As the townspeople gradually awoke and commenced their daily activities, a small framed boy with dark hair made his way outside of his home and to the sidewalk that connected from his front porch. As he walked down the street, southbound, another person came up beside him. Practically running into him, his companion threw her arm across his shoulder while greeting a hello and telling the boy that he needed to wake up more considering today's special occasion.

"That's exactly why I'm so tired, Jess. I couldn't sleep at all last night..." The boy explained, trying not to let his anxiety seem  
as apparent as it felt in his head.

"Aw Matty, you're just over-thinking things like usual." Jess replied with the pet name she lovingly used for her friend. "It'll be fine!"

Matt sighed as the two of them started to see the place they were headed appear closer with each step they took. Today was one of the most important days a teenager could have. At least that's what it felt like to him. While larger cities provided plenty of opportunities for its younger generation, places like Pallet that were low in both population and business were left with very little to give something back to its recently graduated students. 

While there was sometimes help to be needed on the nearby crop farms to the north, the shops in-between the houses in town, or the shipyard that sat on the coastline to the south, the two friends had decided to pursue another option that had become available in the recent years. 

As of five years ago, the Trainer Outreach Program had come to the rural areas of the Kanto region to introduce the life of being a registered Pokemon Trainer as a career option for young graduates. In being a Trainer, one would have the chance to travel Kanto as well as other regions around the world to train and battle against others for payment from the program. In exchange, Trainers were expected to use the knowledge they'd gained while traveling with Pokémon to help create a world where the two species could live together in peace. Created by a particularly well-off professor, the Trainer Outreach Program has hoped to be the bridge between those who kept Pokemon as simple companions and others who used them to hold positions of power. 

After finishing their basic studies, Matt and Jess began dedicating their time to learning all they could about becoming Trainers and gaining the chance to see the world. Today was the day that the two of them would be personally interviewed by none other than Professor Samuel Oak, the creator of the very program they hoped to be a part of. As they approached the laboratory that had made its home in Pallet Town only a year ago, Matt's anxiety began to get the best of him.

"Jess, what if I can't do this? What if he doesn't like me? I should have scored higher on that final exam, I'm sure I've only gotten this far because someone felt bad for me. Oh man, I don't know if I can go in!" Matt worried out loud as he stopped in his tracks trying to catch his breath.

His friend leaned in next to him with her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. It's gonna be okay, dude. We're both here because we've worked our butts off to get this far. I metthe old man once before, he's really not that scary." Jess gave the boy a smile as he started to calm down after a moment. "Now come on, we can't keep the day waiting, eh?"

In a matter of minutes, they reached the doors of the large white building and made their way inside. A reception desk sat just past the entrance of the laboratory. The woman sitting there took down their names and made a brief phone call announcing their arrival. A small tan Pokemon, a Meowth, was asleep on a pillow on the floor beside the receptionist's desk.

After a short amount of time, a tall woman wearing a lab coat and holding a clipboard stepped outside of a nearby door and called them back. Passing by many people and Pokemon working on computers and other large machines whose functions were unknown to the teenagers, they were led by the guide into a small office space. Expecting them was an elderly gentleman, whose energetic facial expression clashed with his graying hair and the cane he had propped against to the chair he sat in.

"You two must be Matthew Aureolin and Jessica Mauve!" The man said as he motioned for his two visitors to sit in the chairs that sat across from  
the desk he had in front of him. As the woman checked off something on her clipboard and left the room, Matt tried his best to calm his nerves while being referred by his full name. "I've heard a lot about the both of you, not to mention reading your files of course." The Professor continued with a grin as the seats in front of him were taken. "Now let's get down to business shall we?"

"Jessica, I'll start with you first. Why should I accept you into my program and make you an official Pokemon Trainer?" Jess smiled as she was asked the question, looking as relaxed as ever. She began to explain her reasons in such a calm demeanor that Matt was almost jealous. As his friend spoke, he could feel his palms getting sweaty and his chest beginning to tighten. How would he put into words just how much he wanted this opportunity? He'd always struggled with situations like this and hoped that somehow, someway, he'd make it through today.

Professor Oak sat quietly with his chin resting on his hands as the young woman in front of him finished answering his question. He stayed in that position and briefly closed his eyes before slowly opening them and turning towards Matt. 

"Matthew, I'll ask you the same. What leads me to believe that you have what it takes to be a part of the Pokemon Outreach Program?" The older man asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"W-Well, Sir," Matt stuttered out as his began, "A-As I'm sure you know, there aren't a lot of chances to make it out into the rest of the world, e-especially one that a person would be compensated for." He tried not to shudder as he noticed himself still struggling to form his words properly. "Aside from the working Pokemon in town and the wild ones I'd see in the field, I myself haven't had as much experience with them as others, but I'm deeply fascinated by them and want to learn as much as I can. Being a part of your program seems like such a great way to have that happen, and," Matt paused as he tried to find his thoughts. "I'd do whatever it took to be apart of something like this."

Matt stared down to the floor as he felt his face turn red. Jess looked over to him, impressed with her friend for fighting past his anxiety to give a just as acceptable of an answer as she had done.

The Professor stared at the two applicants for what felt like an eternity before allowing a large smile across his face. "I  
sincerely apologize for putting you both on the spot like that, but I honestly just wanted to see how you would respond." Matt and Jess looked at each other in confusion, and then back to the man in front of them. "Although I wanted to meet you to confirm everything, I'd already made my decision before you arrived today!" He continued as he held onto his cane to help him out of his chair to stand. Walking over to a nearby table, he pulled a small blanket off of the surface to reveal two small red and white ball-shaped capsules. Looking over to see the disbelief in his guests expressions, Professor Oak laughed and said ever so casually, "Congratulations, here are your Starter Pokemon."

Matt stood there. Looking to his friend next to him and then back to the table that the older man was gesturing towards, he was in too much of a shock to react. The girl beside him stepped forward and grabbed the ball that had a small tag with her initials written on it. 

"Man, this is almost too good to be true!" Jess exclaimed before glancing over to the dark haired boy. "Come on, Matt, yours is the other one on here!"

Slowly walking forward, Matt looked over to the Professor who was smiling at the two as he stood at the side of the table. Directing his focus back to what was before him, the young man reached out and took the remaining ball into his hand. As proof of being accepted into the Trainer Outreach Program, new Trainers received their own Starter Pokemon who were to help the individual as their second-in-command. While it was more common for the Trainers to make a choice of three of which Starter they teamed up with, it wasn't unheard of for the Professor to have Pokemon already paired up for those who made it past the interviewing process. 

Feeling a surge of determination, Matt pressed the button on the front of the capsule device and released a small red beam towards the floor in front of him. The light was almost immediately replaced by a small creature with yellow fur and bright crimson patches on its cheeks. 

Following Matt, Jess sent out her Starter in a similar fashion and was greeted with a brown and cream colored animal who, although short in stature, exerted a confident presence. The two Pokemon looked at their new Trainers before meeting one another's gaze, as if they had recognized the other and were wishing them luck.

"Jessica, I've chosen an Eevee for you to begin your journey with. Eevees are a very reliable Pokemon and can make for the best of team-mates for a Trainer just starting out. From your studies I'm sure you've learned that they are able to evolve into multiple Pokemon, so how you decide to train your Eevee can result in a much different outcome than what someone else may experience." Professor Oak explained as he watched Jess kneel down to meet her new companion. Turning his attention to Matt, he proceeded in giving the boy similar information. 

"Matthew, the Pokemon I've given to you is a Pikachu. They may not be the easiest for a Trainer yourself who has had limited interactions with Pokemon, but I've worked with this particular Pikachu and felt that he would be a good match for you regardless." 

Matt crouched down to become face-level with the Pokemon in front of him, wondering to himself what the Professor could possibly mean. The Pikachu met his gaze and raised a paw to press against Matt's face. Seeing what looked like a hint of kindness in the creature's eyes, Matt relaxed and smiled before standing back up as Professor Oak began to speak once more. 

"Now that introductions have been made, I would like to take this opportunity to examine how confident the two of you are in a battle!" The gray haired man laughed as he made his way towards the door. "Please follow me." Matt looked towards Jess, who gave him a nod in return. Standing up straight and after confirming their Pokemon would follow, they walked in the same direction that Professor Oak had done. Traveling through the laboratory once more, the teenagers followed the older man to a large door at the end of the building. Arriving outside, they were met with a small arena that was surrounded by a chain-link fence. The field itself was no bigger than 10 meters across, as it was obviously made for battles between new Trainers and smaller sized Pokemon.

"Matthew, you step into the circle drawn onto the field on the left, Jessica you go to the right. Once you are both in position, release your Pokemon in front of you." Professor Oak instructed as he remained close to the door that led back inside the research facility. The nearly made Trainers did as they were told and were soon facing each other, filled with anticipation for their first official Pokemon battle.


End file.
